Saturday, September 12, 2009

From someone who very rarely leaves the comfort of her bed before 10am on Saturday mornings, today I actually ran 10 miles by 9:45! My first double digit run! As much as I LOVE sleeping in and drinking coffee in my PJs, it is nice to start the weekend with a huge sense of accomplishment. Plus I posted it on facebook and sent texts to my friends bragging about it. I love bragging about my runs. Maybe when I become a serious runner I'll get over it. Couldn't have asked for better weather - low 60s, a bit cloudy, and barely windy.

I felt pretty good throughout the run. I've been reading The Complete Idiots Guide to Running, and LOVING reading it, which is yet another reason why I am a huge dork. It says on days you actually have time, you should warm up with light jogging/walking, then stretch, then run. Since I am usually rushing to get to work, I decided to follow this advice since I had the whole day free. As usual, the first mile was a bit rough, as I was still waking up. I was also carrying a water bottle, which I never do, since the guide said to. I stashed it after about 20 minutes (after drinking a bit) so that I could finish it on the way back. (Another trick from my book). I usually just drink when I get back, but since I am starting to attempt longer runs, I realized I need to up my hydration. It helped, but carrying the water bottle really seemed to drag me down (maybe it was just mental). After I hid it in the bushes next to a speed sign, I felt great! I did stop after about 6 miles for a bathroom break and bought another water bottle at a Walgreens (which I tried to carry but had to ditch after a few sips). The route I took has some tough hills in the last two miles, and I was dragging on those, but other than that I felt good! I hope in four weeks I can repeat my performance with another 3.1 miles added on!

I actually mixed up my breakfast today! I eat some version of cereal, 7 days a week, no exceptions. I love eggs, omelets, oatmeal, etc, but for some reason I have a cereal addiction. But a food blog I love (am I allowed to post a link?) always has amazing mixes of oatmeal and fruit and I always want to try it! After a looooong stretch in my nasty, sweaty clothes, I was cold and a hot oatmeal sounded filling and comforting after my run. It has bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla soy and it is DELISH. Obviously accompanied by tons of black coffee, and sex and the city. Hubby gave me the series DVD for xmas, and I watch them a shocking amount without ever getting sick of them. Getting ready to meet hubby while he tapes a high school football game (scouting them so he is prepared when his team plays them). Sitting on those horrible bleachers isn't exactly my idea of how to relax my legs but I want to spend some time with him since it's all girls at the bachlorette party tonight!

Friday, September 11, 2009

This night officially makes me an old woman trapped in a young woman's body. After we decided to skip happy hour, I came home, immediately made tea, put on PJs, and surrounded myself with the computer, a book, and the tv. I couldn't get the mail because I was too embarrassed to be seen in PJs when it wasn't even 5pm on a Friday night! But this night has been fabulous. So relaxing. Hubby is coaching a football game (which I was considering going to before the rainstorm) so I am all alone with control over the TV. It would be nice if he were here, but I don't mind some alone time either! Especially after listening to kids calling my name non - stop all day. Our population tends to not get the attention they need at home. As a result, they need positive affirmation for EVERY single thing they do. Like writing their name. Sitting. Walking. Breathing. Every single thing needs a "good job" from me. While it's sad when I sit back and think about the reason, in the moment, all I want is 3 SECONDS where someone is not trying to get my attention! I try to get them to raise their hands but at this point in first grade they remember like 1 time in 3 on a really good day. So even though I love my husband, I love spending time with my friends, I love talking to my family, sometimes, especially at the beginning of the school year, I demand silence!! I can't even bring myself to have a basic conversation. Good thing I married a fellow teacher who not only understands but often feels that way himself.

The main course was:whole wheat pasta (or whatever the kind is that looks like white but isn't)cannellini beansbroccolioniongarliclemon pepperdillfresh mintS&P

all sauteed with a splash of lemon juice and white vinegar, a tsp of olive oil at the end, and more toasted sesame seeds - and some cheesy garlic bread.

Haven't quite figured out the pictures yet! You can see me toasting my sesame seeds, then my garlic bread, my pasta, and my salad. I'll figure out how to order them at some point.

Sooo good and filling! I could eat pasta every night. I'm obviously having some ice cream in a little bit. I have had a serious addiction to cool whip free on my ice cream. With sprinkles. Which has no nutritional value, and is a waste of money. And when I say serious, it's bad - like a whole container of cool whip gone in 2-3 days. How embarrassing to admit. I am trying hard to break it - I've been cool whip free free since Tuesday. Tonight I'm having Breyers Fat Free Vanilla/Fat Free Chocolate Cookies and Cream (I almost always mix two kinds!) topped with Trader Joes Natural salted peanut butter. A big improvement from cool whip and sprinkles.

I seem to have little trouble sticking with healthy eating habits Mon - Thu. On Friday, something clicks in my brain and it's ON. Of course, Friday is a perfect day for a happy hour, so I am already splurging on calories in wine. Then I might go out to dinner, have a little extra ice cream, etc. No big deal, that's what Fridays are for. However, this morning was planning to go on a ten mile run to prepare for the half marathon I am running next month. I woke up at 4:30, and it was pouring. Even though my husband keeps telling me "you can run in the rain", I wasn't about to do the longest run of my life soaking wet. So I continued sleeping....for another glorious three hours. I was planning on going to the gym, but workouts have seemed really tough this week, so I decided to listen to my body and take a rest day, instead of forcing myself to work out as I normally would. You would think I would have tons of energy based on sleeping for almost 10 hours, yet after spending the day chasing 22 six year olds, 17 of them being boys, I am drained as usual.

Anyway, I am planning on doing my long run tomorrow morning. Which means - no alcohol, no greasy dinner, no random chocolate breaks throughout the day. I sort of like this accountability that I don't usually feel on Friday. Of course, it worked out well that I didn't have anything planned today, and while we considered happy hour (I was going to stick with water and just go for the gossip), all my teacher friends were exhausted from these crazy kids! And what is it about rain that makes everyone just feel BLAH? And like doing anything above and beyond the absolute minimum (ex. stopping at the store on the way home) impossible.

So, long story short, I am pretending that this is a weekday (although coming home and not having to make lunch for the next day brings me way more happiness than is normal). Which also works out, because tomorrow I am going to my friend's bachlorette party (definitely having a few drinks), and Sunday I have a birthday party. So I can save my splurging for only two days of the weekend, not three (which often happens).